The San Francisco mayor on Tuesday formally declared his intent to enter California's gubernatorial race.

(CNN) - Gavin Newsom has made it official. The San Francisco mayor on Tuesday formally declared his intent to enter California's gubernatorial race.

The California Democrat used the new media social-networking sites Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to announce his bid to succeed the current governor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"We can't afford to keep returning to the same old tired ideas and expect a different result," Newsom said in a three-minute YouTube announcement on his Web site, GavinNewsom.com. "I'm a candidate for governor of California because I know we can do better."

But Newsom could face a tough challenge in the Golden State's Democratic primary, with competition from Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and state Attorney General Jerry Brown.

"Gavin Newsom has a formidable obstacle in former California governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown, who much better known statewide and has deep roots in the Democratic party, especially with Hispanic voters," said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

"Newsom has said that he's the Barack Obama in the race and that Brown is the Hillary Clinton, meaning that Newsom is young and fresh and that Brown is out of date. Brown tells me he thinks that argument is silly and irrelevant," Schneider said. "There is one issue that Newsom is linked, and that is gay marriage. He allowed same-sex marriages in San Francisco until the courts intervened. This could be a plus for him in the Democratic primary but a problem in the general election."

Updated after the jump

UPDATE: Republican California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman announced Tuesday that her gubernatorial exploratory committee is “on track” to raise at least $5 million by June 30. The former president and CEO of Ebay announced her candidacy for governor in February.

“I’m honored that people are investing in the cause to create A New California,” Whitman said in a statement released Tuesday.

soundoff(108 Responses)

This guy is the worst choice mentioned. He disregards the law, cheats with his friend's wife and has run San Fran into the ground. Anyone but gruesome Newsome!

April 21, 2009 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Sergio

This guy won't beat Arnold for a very simple reason: Arnold can't run for re-election... term limits

April 21, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

robert

To all the people thinking Arnold is going to run again: He can't, he has reached his term limit.

April 21, 2009 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |

Ed

It's pretty shocking that so many of the people posting comments on this list (i) fail to see the struggle for equal treatment for gay and lesbian citizens as a matter of civil rights; (ii) attact the moral character of an elected leader because he does see it as a civil rights issue and acts accordingly, and (iii) appear to claim moral superiority based on an immutable trait over which they had no control (i.e., their heterosexual orientation). I am not a CA resident, so the outcome of the election really would not impact me much, but I do wonder why anyone would want to be governor of a state with so many financial problems, so many natural disasters and so many bigoted extremists.

April 21, 2009 05:26 pm at 5:26 pm |

Allen, Sugar Land, Texas

Newsom will be the final nail in California's coffin. Let Texas AND California seceed from the United States and see which one you would want to live in in 10 years. San Francisco is the most beautiful cesspool I have ever seen.

April 21, 2009 05:31 pm at 5:31 pm |

Natalie

Whiteman has my vote

April 21, 2009 05:32 pm at 5:32 pm |

mike

If cars were fueled by arrogance, nonchalance, handsomeness and no political track record, he would be the hottest commodity.

SF looks fine on the surface if you stick to the tourist areas. Go where people live and you get another story. But hey, it could be worse—COULD BE OAKLAND!!!